This tiny station structure may be familiar, if you’ve been reading this site for any length of time. It the Alna Center Station on the WW&F during the days when the railroad was in operation. This picture is part of the Museum collection, from the Davis Family Collection. 

I post this today for two reason. First, it’s perfectly sized, and is of just the right character, to be used as a common station on the Choptank & Southern (there will be three towns that rank a real station like this). And secondly, because of an ad in the most recent Narrow Gauge & Shortline Gazette showing a new kit for this structure being available from Banta Modelworks. This station design was repeated on the WW&F at Alna Center and Sheepscot, and likely other smaller stations as well.

Unfortunately, I haven’t yet found any drawings for the structure on line to determine the dimensions. I know the building is tiny, and I’m really hoping that it is, overall, less than about 16 feet deep. That would allow it to be nestled onto the station platform on the new yard modules.

The only image I’ve been able to find of the model on line is this picture of the O-scale kit that was put out by Portland Locomotive Works. Apparently, the kit has been available for some time (it first appeared at Valley Model Trains in August of 2005), but it appears that the product line has been bought by Banta.I’m assuming the renewed interest is due, in part, to the National Narrow Gauge Convention being held in Portland, ME, which is only a short drive from the WW&F property.

By the way, it looks as if the folks at the museum have been really, really busy. The track that #10 is on in this picture wasn’t there when we visited just this past October!